Carol Masters: Live Each Day

Carol Masters: Live Each Day

Linda S. Keiles

Carol Masters has a motto Her goal is “living each day trying to accomplish something, not merely to exist.” And based on Carol’s busy schedule and many commitments in the Long Beach Jewish community and beyond, she’s a living embodiment of that motto.

Carol grew up in Glendale, where she and her family were active members of their local synagogue Carol’s father was a member of the temple’s building committee, where he became good friends with the Masters family, who had a son close to Carol’s age. The rest, as they say, is history, as a family friendship turned over time into a courtship, with Mike and Carol marrying in 1966 and eventually settling in the Long Beach area Along the way, Carol attended UC Riverside, UCLA, and Cal State Northridge, earning a degree in Mathematics as well as an elementary school teaching credential. Carol taught for three years and then left full-time teaching when she and Mike adopted their son David, who she brought along with her when she pivoted to apply her math knowledge as a tutor

Carol and Mike joined Temple Israel of Long Beach in 1967, and in 1976, Rabbi Wolli Kaelter asked Carol to take on a new role, establishing the preschool program at the Sunday morning religious school. That, Carol says, is where she found her niche; from then on, Carol Masters became a constant presence in the Long Beach Jewish Community, particularly in the lives of children and families She joined the staff of the JCC’s preschool summer camp program in 1985, and by 1989, she was spending her weekdays as the Assistant to the Long Beach JCC’s preschool director, Lori Davidson, and her Sundays at Temple Israel. In her spare time, she became involved in various committees focusing on social justice, reproductive rights, and children’s issues.

Although Temple Israel has always been a home to Carol, in the early 2000s, as Mike became disabled, Carol found herself part of Congregation Shir Chadash as well There, she became involved in the congregation’s religious and social missions, adding another layer to her rich history of contributing to the fabric of our community. She joined the congregation’s board, and, through the Long Beach Legacy Foundation, helps to award grants to organizations throughout the Jewish community After Mike’s passing, Carol has also been deeply involved with the Lakewood Women’s Club, the El Dorado Women’s Club, and acts as a community volunteer at Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens, helping to facilitate educational crafts programs for visitors from Long Beach Unified’s 4th-grade classes. In addition, Carol has become involved in the National Council of Jewish Women, packing abortion comfort kits and Hugpacks for area foster children.

When it comes to making a lasting impact with her dollars, Carol is delighted by the ease with which she was able to set up her charitable trust through the Jewish Long Beach Legacy program The program allowed her to designate the causes closest to her heart as recipients, including Jewish Long Beach, Temple Israel, JFCS, and the Passover fund Carol feels strongly that in order to ensure the continuity of Jewish life and community, her contributions will have the biggest effect right here, at home. Carol’s philosophy is that action and giving are just “part of who I am.” She “doesn’t need people to see what I’m doing…I just need to do it!” And she does, and has, every day for over 50 years

Have you left a Legacy Gift to Jewish Long Beach and want to share your impact story? Do you feel inspired by Carol’s story and want to learn about the difference you can make with a Legacy Gift? Contact Kevin Giser at kgiser@jewishlongbeach.org or 562.426.7601 ext. 1011